Priming charge.



WILL-12131 H. BUEALL, 0F NEE HAVEN, 8Z3

ml REPEATING' ARIES COMPANY, OF NED? ".iELVE-Rl', CQE-ITE'IEYETICL T, CifiRf-TFRATIGH 3E G'ONNECTICUT.

sssrrms otssr filed June 18, 1914:, Serial No. 845,675. $75,023. Divided and t1.

To (ZZZ whom it may comer n Be it known the? l EVILLIAM H. BUELL, citizen of the llriitulfStstes, residing at New Huron, iii the county of New 5 even, State of Connecticut, hare invented. new and, useful Improvement in Priming Gharges; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, ei-zuot descrip- Lion thereof. I

My invention relates to a priming clizir e for-use in igniting explosives, which is i' especial utility in igniting the various smokeless and black powders when used in center fireancl rim lire ammunition.

The purpose of my invention is to produce a priming charge whi h is 1) rticulorly suited for use with oowclers nor: ero-' J ployed in firearms, and psrsiculsrly small arms, sucli charge producing an explosion of not too great local pressure, and of suiiicient heat, oucl leaving substantially no harmful residues; in its specific form, my invention contemplates the modification the flash of the priming charge, giving? it greater length, anal contemplates also creation of an alkaline residue, which messrably neutralizes the harmful acid resl-tloe of the explosion. of the powder, purticulz-rrly of smokeless powder.

According to my invention I produce priming charge by mixing intimately cletomating salt of hydrazcic acid with suitable nitratecl organic body For instance, I may add 3 parts Toy weigiit of nitrocellulose (preferably high nitrogen inso luole) to 1 pert of lead hyclmzoete end mix the soe to urorluce a subssonyally homogeneous product. lVliile the cletoiiatirg suits of hydrazoic eliicl too brisaut use alone in firearms, and especially is runs, the mixture above described will be i our ri suit able for such use, local pressure of the explosion being rerlucecl, and its heat i2icreased. Substantially no residue is left which may injure the shell or the bore of.

the arm. While I prefer to the lead salt, I may use other detouatlng salts of hydrazcic acid, for instance the silver salt;

I may even use the mercury salt, although this suit does not give all the contemplated advent-e es, as it leaves a residue which is apt to form a harmful amalgam with lac metsl of the shell.

tsssium carbonate, b slum. Hlil'iltfi. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

toluene; shea as nitro Ill sire Qualities refers only to L iuiatinclude although such saltriating properties further contemplates the presence of a third substance for the purpose of leaving-2m elkaline residue suite-fl to neutralize Wholly" measurably the acid residue left by L the burning of the powder, particularly of smokeless powder, azul also my ucicl residue which might be left 1- the other ingredients or substance is a saltor other either is notaffects rolien up by tli,

case residue poses iuclios ed V onigsourfi i by explosion 0 explosion, e.

is o the 3113- 1 may use souium or sriuiu nitrete, or oreier, however, to use 11 alkali metal salt of liydrezoic ecicl, or an alkaline earth metal salt, or a double all 'ka-li metal and metal salt, of such aeicl;

such as for instance, the sodium salt, or shepotash salt, or the potassium cobalt salt of such acid, The use of these last mentioned substances less the further greet ovaniege of producing an increased flash, in addition to causing the residi'le of the explosion of the primer to be alkaline. I may for in stance mix 6 parts by weight of lead hydrama-e and 11 parts of nitrocellulose (51" y the high nitrogen insoluble) with o o ts of sodium hydrazoate. will be t -'t this mixture when exploded, will have 1 A the advantages above claimed lor the rm of the lead and nitrocellulose andwill have the additional advantages an increased liaine, and of a beneficial a aline residue. The proportions may 11 :e to be varied under different 5 circumstanc' and conditions, and with dif- 1 ferent mat ale and for different oowders,

but they can readily be asc'ertain by anyone sxilled in the art. It is p Jle that some com; ounds which upon ign 11 leave 2Q an alkaline residue and particu ly some members of the group of alkali metal, alkaline 211 metal and double alkali metal salts o1" hydrazoic acid, may not and, if so, they are not included in ntion. In my clan. s 5 group the mentioned salts of hydrazoic acid ungeneral term of alkali metal salts irazoic acid.

mixtures above specifically referred .fmr of two substances, or of three subconstitute a line white or light "l mass which may be moistened with solution and then introduced into the caps, where it is seated under heavy ire. and may then, if desired, be cover with paper or foil, or by a thin film cdion. An anvil ofany suitable conor may then be inserted into the cups. .imer is to be used in rim fire on it is preferably given the treat- ..n the gum solution and then driven into the annular rim of the cartridge shell by centrifugal force. It may then be covered by collodion.

l" have found that I may increase the scnsitiveness of the mixture to a high degree, first mixing the nitrated organic body, for instance the nitrocellulose, with. the ahaline residue producing 'alt, -for instance the sodilun hydraxoate, treating the ruin.-

ture with am lacet'ate or other suitable solvent. in ,icnt amount to obtain the .encv,

5 crmitt'ing the i'nixture 5 5; treated to harvcn and then grinding Janie, audl'hcn addingto the ground :ance the detonating salt, as for instance, lead hydrazoate. Glass may be added at the same time with the detonating 5a salt. By this operation I obtain a primer in which the alkaline residue producing salt is more intimately mixed with the oitrated or; lnic body than would be the case ii? all three 5 redients were simultaneously mixed 5 in .1. dry state, and t scnsitiveness of the described in the combinations in potassium chlorate.

mixture is thereby greatly increased. I ob 'tain moreover a further useful result,

namely that the particles of the alkaline film or-covering of the nitrated body, so that such particles are measurably insulated from contact with the metal-of the shell, and interaction between the two is measurably prevented.

The primer mixtures described in the above specific examples, especially those containing the third ingredient, are homogeneous in character and of the proper igniting quality, so that a' hot and uniform flame is produced without excess of local pressure and with a minimum of harmful residue or none at all. The flame produced has the proper velocity and intensity to ignite the powder charge before imparting any appreciable motion to it before ignition, and thus effects an explosion having the maximum pressure near the breech of the gun, and not one which is delayed until the charge nears the muzzle, the portion of the barrel least adapted to withstand bursting pressure.

While I may add other substances to my priming mixture, I prefer not to do so. Thus, chlorate of potash, or some other oxidizing compound, such as the perchlorates, nitrates and peroxids of barium, potassium, etc, may be added to the mixture, or in part substituted for certain ingredients, but their presence is usually undesirable owing to the production of an increased local. pressure.

The subject matter of my invention must not be confused with detonators, nor with priming charges which are not suitable for use in firearms. To make a priming charge suitable for use in firearms it must not be too violent in action, but must, on the other hand, be capable of being exploded by the action of the firing pin or other firing mech anism striking against the casing which contains the charge.

l have also found that a mixture of a det0 hating salt of hydrazoic acid and an alkali metal salt of such acid forms a priming charge adapted for use in firearms, Such charge may he composed for examplefo'l parts by weight of lead hydrazoate and parts by weignt of sodium hydrazoate. In such a. charge the brisant effect of the lead salt is toned to a sullicient extent and a maximum value is obtained with regard to alkaline residue.

The alkali metal. salt of a. hydrazoic acid may also be mixed with a suitable nonpound to produce a successful priming charge. Such charge may he composed of, for example, 35 parts of'sodium hydraxoate, 35 parts of antimony sulfid and 30 parts of To such a charge the alkali metal salt has for its principal purpose to neutralize measurably the injurious acid residue formed by the reaction between the other ingredients of the charge. The alkali metal hydrazoate, as used in my invention, is of particular value because it is itsel eiiplosive and therefore adds this value to the charge in addition to its value in leaving an alkaline residue.

This application is a division of my application Serial Number 875,023, filed December 1, NH, which is a division of my appl' .tion Serial Number 845,875, filed June 18, 1914, (i :te(' o the invention of a charge containing a detonating salt o1 hydrazoic acid, a nitrated organic body and a compound which upon ignition will leave an alkaline residue this last mentioned application being itself a division of my appiica"on, now Patent No. 1,106,343, dated 'ust 1914, in which the invention of a casing and a charge therein. containing a rate and antimony sullid, sul'istautiali as a and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses HARLEY T, PIECE, IRENE V. Bnronwooo. 

